Writer and mother, Terris McMahan Grimes, the Mother From Another Continent, an her friends share their slighty off kilter parenting views and their takes on a whole lot of other things.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Children Don't Belong in Prison

Children don't belong in prison.

In Paris, Texas or Sacramento, California children should not be imprisoned, especially for percieved sins of their parents.

Fourteen-year-old Shaquanda Cotton should be freed from her indeterminate sentence in a Texas prison immediately.

Last night I spoke with Shaquanda's mother, Creola Cotton. Shaquanda tells her she's tired and she doesn't know how long she can hold on. Ms. Cotton says Shaquanda has attempted suicide more than once.

16 Comments:

this is tragic, the whole thing makes me feel sick to my stomach. That poor girl, that poor mother! Thank you for bringing this to my attention. If sending the poor girl a card will possibly stop her from ending her life for another day I would happily send one a day until she is released. I'm going to stop by the card shop later and pick up a few things to send her.

Surviving,It is tragic, indeed. Thank you for the cards. Funny thing, I was at a big box store and bought, by accident, a box of fancy cards for all ocassions. I'm usually not a card sender, but now I know why I have them. They're for Shaquanda. I'm addressing mine now, too.

Fredric,Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Also, THANK YOU for the Free Shaquanda Cotton blog.

My 29-year-old is sick today and I'm off to provide a little motherly love. It breaks my heart that Mrs. Cotton can't do the same for her child.

"Lamar County Chamber of Commerce President Pete Kampfer said Tuesday afternoon he felt the story was slanted, but shouldn't hurt industry looking to move to Paris.

“It would have no impact right now, but we don't want any of these negative things reflecting on our community. It's a rather negative article about us,” he said. Lamar County Chamber of Commerce President Pete Kampfer said Tuesday afternoon he felt the story was slanted, but shouldn't hurt industry looking to move to Paris.

“It would have no impact right now, but we don't want any of these negative things reflecting on our community. It's a rather negative article about us,” he said."

If the shoe fits, wear it. this guy needs open-heart surgery--or maybe even a heart transplant-- to change his sick, closed mind. what crackery.

I must thank you for bringing this to our attention. I have a fourteen year old who I'm going to make write this young lady. I must also add can people stop calling her poor girl. Words are so powerful I'm sure she'll rather be called free girl or Shaquandra.

It takes a community to raise a child. I find it ironic that when society fails to provide the structure so as to aid and allow children to grow...it is the children who pay. Thank you for bringing it to our attention.